Sault Ste. Marie Council decides against fluoridation vote

With Mayor John Rowswell casting the deciding vote, Sault Ste. Marie City Council tonight voted down a proposal to re-open the question of whether the City’s water supply should be fluoridated.

Council voted six to five against a motion from Ward 1 Councillors James Caicco and Steve Butland asking for a report on what would have to happen to implement fluoridation of the City’s water supply.

Caicco said City residents have been phoning him asking why our water isn’t fluoridated and he felt they deserve an answer.

Others have been advising Caicco not to stir the pot over the fluoridation issue, to which he said: “If there’s any councillor here who doesn’t want to talk about tough decisions, they should go home.”

Caicco refused to answer when asked tonight who’s been pushing him on fluoridation.

City Solicitor Lorie Bottos said that since Sault Ste. Marie held a referendum on the issue more than 20 years ago, a new vote would be needed to overturn that outcome.

In casting the deciding vote, Mayor Rowswell said he couldn’t see any immediate need to revisit the fluoridation controversy.